


If Only

by sadspacegay



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha!Kylo, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, BFF Phasma, Canon-Typical Violence, Future Explicit Content, M/M, Omega!Hux, Omegaverse, Slow Burn, they're assholes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:22:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7899688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadspacegay/pseuds/sadspacegay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reflecting on his past, General Hux would never say it had been easy, nor would he regale a despondent sob story. In Academy, Hux, like many others, had kept the fact that he was an omega a well guarded secret. As he saw it, it was nobody else’s business what his cast was, disregarding all stigma. Problem was, there was always stigma.</p>
<p>In other words: In the days before Starkiller, an omega General Hux must learn to get along with his alpha co-commander. Trouble is, he's a huge prick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Giant Mess

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! So this is my first Star Wars fic, so let's see how this goes. I will be editing tags as they come and comments are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

       Reflecting on his past, General Hux would never say it had been easy, nor would he regale a despondent sob story. In Academy, Hux, like many others, had kept the fact that he was an omega a well guarded secret. As he saw it, it was nobody else’s business what his cast was, disregarding all stigma. Problem was, there was always stigma. _Omegas just do not lead,_ his father had said scathingly, the Commandant sitting his child down for one of their many “talks.” He resented that his only son, his namesake, was a lowly omega. Those who carry the power of the Hux title were to carry on the authority and ruthless faculty associated with it. But at best his son was destined for nothing more than medical duty, and when the time came, child rearing. 

      This of course was not what Hux himself had in mind. He craved the power his father wished for his family, and knew he had the potential to obtain it. Hux would train for command. He would reject his cast. And if that meant forgoing any dreams of having a family and taking a daily regimen of pills, so be it. As a result, Hux carefully hid away a small billfold of pills in an unassuming box under his bed and changed his focus to command like his father before him, assuming the role of Armitage Kier Hux II, Beta Lieutenant of Regiment 96-θ-724. 

      That is, until his imbecile of a roommate found the box. From then on out he was alone; ostracized and bullied, but by some miracle (perhaps his father) allowed to stay in the program. And so, bruised and battered, tears streaking his soft, freckled cheeks, he made himself a promise. He would outrank every last one of those fuckers. No one would ever question his authority, let alone his cast, ever again. And by some means or another, he would strike fear into anyone that dared speak against his position, and remind them that omega can in fact be powerful. 

      Now that Hux was a general, he appreciated what little and stifled childhood he had. It had not only prepared him for what was to come, but gave him the grit to take what he deserved. Spite truly was an effective motivator. Now everyone on his ship knew he was an omega. He still took suppressants, but this time, he stood at the helm of command proud of his cast, and of his accomplishments despite it. Now he was all he wished to be: Armitage Kier Hux II, Omega General of the First Order, and Commander of the Star Destroyer: Finalizer.

      “Hux.” 

      With one _small_ snag. 

      Hux sighed, smoothing out his already pristine uniform before turning on his heel to face the bane of his entire existence. “ _Ren._ I believe we have discussed the use of honorifics in conversation before. Several times.”

      The grating of the mask towering over him betrayed no expression. “General.” Now he could hear the flat exasperation.

      “Yes, Lord Ren?” Hux asked, schooling the smug grin that threatened his lips. 

      “I was informed you wished to see me,” the knight huffed impatiently. 

      “Ah yes,” Hux gave him an unpleasant smile. “I wished to discuss your little indiscretion with our control unit yesterday-” And like that Kylo Ren was gone, stalking away in a flurry of black and petulance. Scandalized, Hux stood a-gawk for a moment before pursuing him with quick, even strides. “I would not take this matter lightly!”

      “I haven’t the time to discuss your grievances, General,” he said. “Besides, the panel had it coming.” 

      Hux scoffed. “Oh please. The Order cannot afford to shell out credits every time something ‘has it coming.’ Perhaps you should simply exercise restraint and avoid further conversation, since you seem to detest it so much.”

      “You and I both know it’s mere pocket change for the Order to replace a simple control console, especially given your father’s substantial contributions to the cause.”

      Hux cut him off, stopping the man in his tracks, a frown deeply set into his features. “Just what are you insinuating, Ren?” he spat. 

      The mask offered no visual cues. “That you are wasting my time and you had best not do it again.” Ren said nothing more before stalking off again towards his quarters. Hux was left in the corridor, fuming, his hands knots at his side. Heavy footsteps stopped short behind him. 

      “You give him far too much of your energy, sir.”

      Hux turned to see Captain Phasma, alpha and long time friend, her chrome armor a flawless sheen under the dim fluorescents. His posture relaxed slightly, a long breath escaping him. “The man is about as draining as a black hole and I only wish I could ignore him,” he huffed. “Or throw him out the airlock.”

      Phasma’s voice was jovial and knowing. “Yes, but you're in more of a tizzy about it than you would normally be. You’re getting close,” she noted. 

      Although not involved, Phasma kept a close tab on Hux’s cycles, bringing him water during his heats and warding off other alphas around the ship when he accidentally missed a day of suppressants from working late nights. From anyone else, Hux would have refused the service, but from his friend he simply accepted gratefully, knowing he was far from deserving of such treatment. Now, Hux simply nodded. 

      “I know. I have three more days. Maybe two.” He ran his fingers through his hair, tussling a couple strands loose. He rolled his shoulders. “I’d be fine if not for the Sith babysitting service I appear to be running.”

      Phasma chuckled through her vocoder, gently guiding Hux by the arm. “That may be, but perhaps you should call it a night, sir. You’ll need to be rested for your heat.”

      Hux shook his head. “I have too much that needs to be done. I have a meeting with the Supreme Leader tomorrow.”

      “All the more reason to get some rest. I don’t send my troops into battle on less than 7 hours of sleep, nor should you.” 

      “I have paperwork…” he argued, though his excuses were feeble. It was getting late, and he’d been on since the afternoon previous. He held back a traitorous yawn and Phasma gave him a look through her helmet, pushing him in the direction of his quarters. 

      “Yes well, with all due respect sir, it will be there in the morning. Now go to bed.”

      Hux sighed, walking off like a scolded child. He supposed it could wait till morning.

 

* * *

 

 

      Morning came faster than he would have liked it to; the same paperwork, same crew, and same command deck waiting for him. Hux made himself as pristine as always, tucking his hair up and out of the way for work, before making his way to the bridge. He was greeted by the usual staff, milling about and going about their tasks. While his stoic face showed nothing, Hux really did appreciate his subordinates. The regularity and camaraderie were enough to give him peace of mind and bring the rare smile to his otherwise stiff, pursed lips. Since his appointment as General, more and more of his staff were open about their casts and Hux had soon come to realize how many omegas served in his ranks. The thought gave him a small sense of pride. Lieutenant Mikata nodded to him as he walked in through the door and Hux nodded back, waiting expectantly for his report. Mikata handed him a data pad with the days itinerary and system checks loaded for him to inspect, however at the top, clipped to pad, was a small chewable suppressant. Hux eyed the other omega with a cocked eyebrow and the man blushed slightly under the scrutiny. 

      “Just in case. You’ve been presenting more as of late, sir.”

      Now it was Hux’s turn to fight a blush. He cleared his throat and nodded slightly in thanks before popping the gummy into his mouth. “Lieutenant, I want a full diagnostic report on those faulty cannons. Also, inform Captain Phasma her report on the new troop shipment is due as soon as possible.” Mikata nodded, running to complete his task. Another member of similar rank took the control panel, one that Hux couldn't recall ever seeing before. The man’s hair was a sandy blond which, even gelled, curled just around the ears, a good two inches out of regulation. The rest of his unassuming appearance was otherwise within dress code, black and sleek leather. Regardless, Hux sneered at his overgrown hair. However, in the midst of a surprisingly good mood, Hux simply went onto his data pad and passive-aggressively filed to have the man sent for reconditioning rather than give him a scathing confrontation in front of the entire crew deck. How was this man supposed to assist in maintaining order to the galaxy if he could not maintain himself, after all? 

      Only, the man wasn’t in the system. Hux stared at his data pad in confusion, double and triple checking his files on crew members to find the officer in question. However before he could really question it any further, both Phasma and Ren were on the deck— Ren with a small group of stormtroopers behind him, much to Hux’s confusion. The two began to speak at the same time.

      “Hux, I need to—”

      “Sir, you call—”

      The two stared at each other through their helmets, either in resentment or confusion. Hux couldn't really tell. He took a breath. “Captain Phasma, I requested your presence to give-”

      “Hux—” Ren interjected.

      “Lord Ren! I know you're eager to say whatever inane comment you have but you will not interrupt me when I’m speaking, this ship must run despite your presence on it,” Hux said in stern reprimand. 

      “Funny,” the masked man grit out. “I was about to say the same thing.” Hux opened his mouth to speak when Kylo held up a menacing hand. “But by all means. I’ll be waiting outside.”

      The omega stared after him as he walked out for a moment before turning back to Captain Phasma. He sighed, resisting the urge rub his temples. “Captain?” 

      “Yes sir. 45 recruits have been taken from the Outer Rim. Conditioning potentials look high this stock.”

      Hux nodded, pleased. “Good. And the new graduates, any promising talent?” 

      “TI-8974 has shown remarkable strength in-” Phasma paused for a brief moment before, “Sir, look out!!!” 

      Hux heard the blaster shot before he could even turn around. When he did, he found the bolt frozen mere centimeters from his face, lowly humming with the force. He gasped softly, the sound one might make if they suddenly noticed a cat, rather than one who was almost killed. Ren reappeared into Hux’s field of vision, his hand extended toward the bolt, while Phasma and her flanking men were already armed, their weapons cocked and ready to go; all of them pointed directly at a certain out-of-regulation blond who was frozen in place, his blaster still in his right hand. 

      The man grit a mouth full of pointed teeth, his maw and the purple sheen to his eyes the only thing that gave way to the fact that he was not human. Several other “officers” in the room also brandished weapons they must have been concealing under desks and in uniforms. How they had managed to infiltrated the bridge was a mystery that Hux _would_ figure out once this whole mess was dealt with. He stepped around the bolt, folding his hands at the small of his back as he stalked toward the blond who shot at him, a firm glare in his eye. 

      “Now what do we have here? Coup? Resistance?” Hux asked, dangerously close to him. The man tried to speak but found that his voice was buried behind a half ton of Force-induced restraint, managing only a few tight grunts and choked breaths. 

      “Resistance,” Ren answered for him, his voice low and sinister. “I think they thought they could perform an undercover assassination. Destroy the heart of the Order from the inside.”

      Hux would decide later if he wanted to ruminate on that compliment. Instead, he turned his back to the resistance member, confident in Kylo Ren’s abilities and looked around the room at the tense stand-off between rebel and officer. The Resistance were comparatively outnumbered, but would still do signifiant damage if any of the many important people in the room were to get injured. “I’m impressed,” he finally stated, “that you’ve managed to get even this far without my notice.” Hux held the other man’s gaze for a long moment, his eyes boring into him with an icy glare. He turned back to Kylo, giving him a fleeting, crooked grin and a nod. Blondie began choking, grappling for hands that weren't there, dropping his blaster to the floor below. “Before we torture, and most likely kill you, there is one thing I would like to know. What were you hoping to accomplish? You’re obviously outnumbered. Under prepared.” The last words were practically spat out at him.

      Kylo released the man, allowing him to drop to the floor. Blondie let out a ragged cough, before looking up, his bloodshot eyes meeting Hux’s in defiance. “We are willing to give our lives for the destruction of the First Order.”

      Hux tilted his head. “And how does it feel to know that you will fail, like the rest of your pathetic resistance? How long will you delay the inevitable?” 

      The resistance member let out a huffed laugh. “My death may be inevitable…but peace will win…and the Dark Side will fall!” With that the man held up his blaster again, making to shoot Hux once more, the element of surprise on his side. 

      All at once, the room was a disaster. Ren force-pushed the man back, but not before he could fire. Phasma ordered her men to blast the resistance members with a swift motion of her hand, creating a colorful stand off of red and blue as the sound of blasters echoed in the command chamber. All of which served to drown out Hux’s strangled cry of pain.

      When the blaster shot hit his thigh, Hux almost didn’t feel it. Almost. The first thing he registered was his leg giving out and his whole body falling to the floor. Then it was the smell of searing flesh he’d experienced a hundred times before, though rarely for himself. Pain came after, electrifying and blindingly hot, and it wasn’t until he finished screaming that he realized the sound came from him. Black surrounded his entire body and when the sharp smell of spices and musk filled his sense, he realized it was Ren, taking him into his arms and picking him up off the ground, blaster shots still whizzing past and around them. Without a word, Kylo whisked him out of the room. 

      Phasma’s near-yelled commands, the sound of blaster fire, and the screams of those who were not so lucky as Hux grew quieter. Vaguely aware he was being carried like a new bride over a threshold, Hux looked up at Kylo in distaste. 

      “Why are you doing this, shouldn’t you be helping their efforts in there?” he asked, afraid to squirm in Ren’s iron grip lest he be dropped. 

      Past the solemn tone of the vocoder, the other man almost sounded amused. “Where’s all that faith you so adamantly put in your men, General? Besides, Phasma has it under control. It is as you said, the Resistance team was under prepared for this. I doubt they were even under orders from General Organa.” 

      Hux’s features scrunched slightly at the idea. “Disgusting.” That earned a snort from behind Ren’s mask, which bewildered him. Almost more so than when they passed right by Medical and into a small supply closet full of extra materials. “Excuse me, but what are you doing?” he asked, his voice firmly on edge. 

      “As ill equipped as they are, we can’t be sure how far they have infiltrated into our ranks. Supreme Leader asked me to keep you alive and I won’t fail that mission, even if we do have our…disagreements,” Ren explained coldly, setting him down on box of what appeared to be gauze shipments. Hux’s only protest was an indignant tsk, looking around at the cramped quarters of the supply closet with blatant disapproval. Ren made a move for his pants and Hux slapped the hard metal of the mask without regard for the tender flesh of his hand. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment. 

      Ren was first to break the silence. “I need to look at your wound.”

      “Ren I am not hopelessly incompetent, I can tend to my own wounds.”

      “But you cannot heal muscle tissue with the use of the Force.”

      He had him there. Hux’s voice was tight as he hid his own embarrassment behind tightly pursed lips. “I can disrobe myself, thank you.” He made for his pants, getting as far as his belt before Kylo caught his hand in his own. This time, Hux made no move to stop him as the knight gently pulled off his glove, exposing the abused and reddened meat of his hand. Leather clad fingers traced over his hand with surprising tenderness and Hux forced himself to breathe evenly. _You’re just close to your heat…_ he reminded himself. Of all times to be hypersensitive. 

      “Don’t do that again.”

      Hux refused to dignify that with an answer. Instead, he took his hand out of Ren’s grasp, pushing his pants down as far as necessary. He wasn’t about to trek all the way to his quarters for his boot jack. The wound was mostly cauterized, angry and red against the pale skin of his thigh and just barely missing the major artery. Kylo swiftly examined the wound before rummaging around for bacta and more bandages. Exposed and under examination, Hux felt a flush rise to his cheeks despite his greatest efforts to prevent it. He balled his hands at his sides to remain calm. 

      “Oh for the love of gods, will you take off that ridiculous mask?” Ren stopped what he was doing, and glanced back at Hux, fixing him with a stare that he guessed was supposed to be menacing. 

      “Why?”

      The question brought even more furious color to his face and Hux sputtered up at him indignantly. “Because! Here I am with my pants around my knees and here you are, dressed head to toe in ridiculous Jedi regalia.”

      “I’m not a Jedi,” Kylo countered petulantly. 

      “For kriffs sake Ren! Take the mask off before I do!” There was a moment of hesitation before Kylo slowly reached up for his mask. Hux watched as a cascade of black waves fell from the mask and onto Ren’s face, which was…not at all how Hux pictured it. When Hux finally got the chance to see Ren’s face he was expecting one of two scenarios. Either one, the man was terribly disfigured like his grandfather, giving him valid reason to wear such a mask. Or two, the man possessed such a cherubic face that the mask served merely for intimidation purposes, to protect the integrity of the Knights of Ren. While two was more in line with reality, that wasn’t quite the case. Kylo’s face was that of a young man, only slightly younger than Hux. Large ears and a prominent nose gave him a look that seemed distinguished and powerful, while at the same time like he hadn’t quite grown into his facial features. All this was accented by a sporadically freckled face, with dewy eyes and full lips which possessed a softness Hux was in no way prepared to see.

      Then came the rush of pheromones. Kylo’s mask had seemed to trap the tell-tale musk which now filled the room with a scent that made Hux’s senses scream _alpha…alpha. Alpha. Alpha!_ He tried to subtly hold his breath.

      “Get on with it then,” he said, with considerably less bite than he intended. 

      Kylo’s hand hovered over the pallid expanse of Hux’s thigh. He hissed as he felt muscle and adipose tissue knit together in restoration. His nerves sang as if they were on fire as some endings regrew in their complex interweaving. When he was finished, Kylo withdrew completely, letting out a long breath. None too gently, he began applying the bacta and wrappings to Hux’s leg. Hair falling in his face from concentration, Ren was sure to touch him as little as possible, even going to far as to use the Force to maneuver Hux’s leg in place, much to his chagrin. The General scoffed, gripping the box of gauze beneath him as Kylo manhandled him into recovery. 

      “While I’m sure tender love and care is not within your repertoire, you could stand to be more gentle,’ he complained, if only to be petulant. That earned him a silent glare and a rough grab at his wounded leg. Hux hissed. “Typical alpha behavior…”

      “What would you know of alpha behavior, _omega_?” Kylo’s tone was dangerous and low.

      “What’s there to know? It’s all barbarous,” Hux spit back, undeterred. 

      “You understand nothing!” Kylo hissed, looming over him, his hand resting threateningly over his neck. 

      Hux pressed against the hand at his throat with a snarl. “What are you expecting I do? Cower in fear? Expose my neck in submission? Please…it seems to me that you know nothing of omegas.” That caught Ren off guard. He withdrew his hand as if Hux were made of fire. Every nerve that stood on edge finally relaxed and Hux visibly deflated, leaning back against the wall. While he was used to standing up to alphas, it didn't make it any less draining. He sighed. “I shudder to think what your mother had to deal with.”

      Kylo wrinkled his nose. “My mother wasn’t an omega.” Hux’s gaze snapped to meet his. “I grew up in an all-alpha household.”

      “You were conceived of an abnormal birth?” Hux gawked.

      “Non-traditional.” Kylo corrected. 

      The General threw an unkind grin his way. “You sound like the Republic.”

      “And you sound like the Commandant.”

      At that, Hux bit his tongue, letting out a humorless laugh. “Touché,” he sighed. “I suppose we do turn into our parents.” 

      Kylo stared at him for a moment, then huffed out a laugh with him. “For your sake, and mine, I hope that’s not the case.” 

      It seemed like such an intimate piece of knowledge from a man who had previously had no family, as far as Hux was concerned. He looked at the knight curiously, the lingerings of his melancholic smile still decorating his face. The man stared back at him, his lips pressed firmly into a neutral expression, as if he was scared of revealing more than he already had. Air thick in his lungs, Hux opened his mouth to say something to break this unbearable silence, perhaps to answer the slight jab Ren had offered him. However, before he could conceive of any kind of retort, the door opened to the supply closet, shedding light on them both. 

      Two stormtroopers stood at the door, their helmets leaving them expressionless to the scene within: General Hux with his pants around his knees and a maskless Kylo Ren towering over him. Going positively pink, Hux was, for once, speechless. His mouth moved with no words escaping it, although he wasn’t entirely sure he would have been satisfied with them if they had. 

      Taking the initiative, Kylo extended his hand with a gesture of the Force. “You will alert Captain Phasma that the General has been well taken care of and forget what you have seen.” After repeating the message, the stormtroopers ran off, leaving them alone once more. 

      Hux let out a shaky breath, hurriedly sliding on his pants again and making his uniform as pristine as he possibly could. “Thank you…” he said softly, his gaze flickering up to meet Kylo’s. 

      Ren nodded towards him with a low, “You’re welcome.” He put his mask back on, hushing the silent call to Hux’s senses and making the General relax somewhat. This was more normal. This he could deal with. 

      It wasn’t until he tried to put pressure on his wounded leg that he remembered why they were trapped in the dark cupboard of a room. He stumbled, caught by a steady, gloved hand. Hux met Ren’s eyes behind his “shield” and gave him an embarrassed, curt nod of acknowledgement. Kylo’s other hand came to tilt Hux’s chin up. 

      “Head high, General. Pain isn’t becoming of a commanding officer,” he uttered, before sweeping off in a flourish of indifference. Hux watched him go. It wasn’t until he made his way back to a destroyed bridge that he realized that that was the first civilized conversation they’d ever had.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So sorry this chapter is so late, but this last semester was crazy for both me and my beta! But here it is, chapter 2! Thank you so much for reading.

     In the end, 24 resistance members were found to have infiltrated the Finalizer and word was sent out to the other star destroyers for further inspection. Factoring in the 10 pages of paperwork per saboteur and the management of cost for damages during the fallout, Hux did not have the time to be standing in the holocom room speaking to the Supreme Leader. Yet here he was, standing next to Ren before the hulking projection of Snoke, resisting the urge to tap his foot impatiently whilst relaying information he had retold about three times already that day.  
     “News of an intrusive team disturbs me, General,” bellowed Snoke, his voice as hollow and raspy as ever. “More disturbing is the notion that they escaped your notice.”  
     “Supreme Leader, I take full responsibili—”  
     “And what of you, Kylo Ren?” While the knight resisted the urge to flinch at his master’s scrutiny, Hux fumed at the sheer dismissal of, what he thought to be, highly responsible behavior. His hands remained knotted at his side, teeth grinding, and air forcibly pushed out his nose in indignation. Hux was so incensed he almost missed Kylo’s response.  
     “My efforts were trained on finding the map to Skywalker, Master. I—”  
     “You should have sensed a disturbance on the ship,” Snoke accused, leaning forward in his chair. “And now your mistake pointlessly cost several lives and injured your General, whom I instructed be kept in working order.”  
     Kylo’s voice was tight behind the mask. “Master, I apologize for my indiscretion but—”  
     “I do not want your apologies nor your excuses!”  
     “—I cannot be omnipotent!”  
     There was a silence in the room that made even Hux hold his breath for a moment. The Supreme Leader leaned back, his eyes narrowed down at his pupil in examination. “Perhaps…there is a better use for this misguided anger of yours, Kylo Ren.” The knight made the move to speak, but Snoke held up his hand. “General, what of the plans regarding Star Killer?”  
     The question nearly took Hux off guard. Any other time he would have been pleased to watch Kylo squirm, however at the moment, Hux wanted to flinch at every word. He stood at attention, careful not to betray any sense of dread he may have felt.  
     “Preparations are ahead of schedule. Schematics have been granted the go-ahead and a planet has already been selected that shows promising results for the project. I’ve scheduled for a team to go on planet to ensure the quality of our decision.”  
     Snoke’s mouth twitched in a way that, at one point, might have been a smile. Now all it mustered was a slight grimace of his lips. “Excellent. Both you and Kylo Ren will assist the team on planet to prevent further unforeseen incidents.” He looked at Kylo with another cruel grimace. “Inform me if any information becomes useful to our cause.” And with that he was gone.  
     Hux let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding, looking over at Kylo to gauge his reaction. The man’s posture was ramrod straight, his chest heaving with what Hux assumed was barely contained rage, although with the mask, it was harder to tell. Perhaps he should put in a preemptive order for a new control console.  
     “The ground team leaves tomorrow at 0700, I suggest you bring a jacket. I hear it’s cold down there,” he said, stiffly turning to leave. An unseen force creeped up Hux’s wounded leg, placing rough pressure on his injury. Hux gasped in pain.  
     “Are you enjoying this, General?” Came Ren’s low reply. “Do you take pleasure in mocking my failure?”  
     “It isn’t my place to question the Supreme Leader,” Hux seethed. “And unlike yourself, I know when to keep my mouth shut.”  
     The pressure on his leg worsened, then disappeared. “I suggest you watch yourself in the coming days, Hux.”  
     “Or what, Ren? I seem to remember the Supreme Leader wanting me in one piece,” Hux argued, but Kylo was already sweeping out of the room.  
    The laugh that earned sounded hoarse behind the vocoder. “And one piece you shall be in, General. I’ll make sure of that.” From anyone else that might have been comforting, even jovial. However, underneath several layers of seething hatred and anger, there was an unease that caused Hux to shift uncomfortably in his boots.  
    A week on planet with that monstrosity…he thought to himself. Gods help us both.

—

  
     In the cafeteria, Phasma looked over her glass at Hux with one cocked eyebrow as she digested the information given to her. Although Hux was never intimidated by her otherwise chrome appearance, the sight of her blond undercut and intense blue eyes filled him with a comfort he could never quite understand, the General being quite unfamiliar with the term ‘friendship.’ His eyes lingered on her stare before going back to his caf, having long given up on trying to figure it out.  
     “So you’ll be going with us to survey the planet…with Lord Ren?” She clarified.  
     “No, I’ll be going with Lord Ren, and you’ll be staying here with the remainder of the crew. Having all of command in one place is too dangerous, and I need someone I trust on the Finalizer to ensure that my ship wont be destroyed while I’m gone.” He sighed.  
     Phasma narrowed her eyes in worry. “But sir…you do realize what time it is.”  
     Hux kept his eyes trained firmly on his mug, unwilling to recognize her concern. “Yes Captain, I am fully aware of my schedule. Need I remind you that I got on quite well without your…protection before.”  
     “And you have a full supply of suppressants? And padding for the heavy days?”  
     “Yes, Captain. Will you cease your mothering!” Hux snapped, finally looking up at her. “Please…” He added, feeling slightly guilty. Phasma, however, was unfazed by his outburst, knowing how irritable he could get. She waited for him to get his bearings. When he finally met her eyes again, she gave him a curt nod.  
     “My apologies, sir. I just worry. Particularly with Lord Ren.”  
     Hux furrowed his brow. “How do you mean?”  
     “It’s well known he is an alpha, sir. Generally during your heats he avoids you like the plague itself. However in such close quarters he will be unable to do so.” The scar on Phasma’s cupid’s bow twisted with worry as she bit at her lip. “He’s the only alpha on this ship I can’t fight off for you.”  
     Hux wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that at all. For years, since his companionship with Phasma started, she had been the one to ward off alphas through his heat. Hux had always insisted on working through them. There was always far too much to be done, and as he saw it, he could control his desires for the sake of order on his ship and for the galaxy— and he expected the same of his coworkers. Most subordinates were smart enough to ignore the masked influx of pheromones, however, out of the infinite number of stares there was always the odd alpha that dared to approach him to solicit favors or particular activities, of course for Hux’s ‘benefit.’ All of said alphas were promptly fired, but not before Phasma could give them a stern talk and an occasional reconditioning. The two had made a team, strongest omega and alpha as the Finalizer’s most formidable platonic power couple. But like so many other things, Ren had put a monkey wrench in all of that.  
     Feigning confidence, Hux dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. “Leave Ren to me. He’s a great deal many things, but a rapist, he is not.” He hoped. The man was prone to violence, and Hux had witnessed several of his atrocities, some of them on members of his own crew. But Kylo wouldn’t dare cross even those boundaries. Would he?  
     “If you say so, sir,” She said.

  
—

  
     Hux would have to prepare himself for this. He rarely did anything himself these days, which is something he disliked about his appointment as General. There was always an officer (lacky) who was willing to carry out orders, and always someone else willing to get their hands dirty. Hux had quite liked getting his hands dirty when he needed to, which is something no one had expected of the son of the esteemed Commandant. He enjoyed the payoff of hard work and the reinforcement of meeting deadlines. However his newly gained status was the payoff of a lifetime, and the thrill had very quickly worn off (mountains of paperwork will do that to a person). Now, his hard work consisted of telling others to do things and planning for the future of The Order. It just so happened that, luckily for him, the future held a planetary super weapon in store, which he took great pride in developing. He put in the extra hours, pouring over blueprints and hand selecting planets and weaponry parts. However until the Supreme Leader commanded it, quality control was not his area. Particularly while in the company of Snoke’s lapdog and personal waste of space. Whilst during his heat no less. Any chance of this being an enjoyable mission had burned and died long ago. He’d be on an ice cold planet, freezing his knickers off, with no peace of mind and no nest for his heat. He’d need a stiff drink at the end of all this.  
Hux packed efficiently and quickly, ever prepared for anything and everything that could happen. He eyed the sleek, black toy he usually used for his heats in his bedside table, lamenting the use of temporary quarters. He doubted he’d have time to use it and, with Ren keeping close watch, Hux probably wouldn't be able to relax enough anyway.  
     But since when did Ren dictate his masturbatory sessions? He’d have very little privacy, but hey, if he did it in the shared cesspool of the Academy without notice, he could do it in his own personal tent dammit. He hid the toy away within his case with a great deal of personal satisfaction. Hux was allowed some pleasures in this life.  
     Kylo and Hux would be sharing passage on a ship down to the surface. The General made his way down to the hanger, swallowing his apprehension. Giving the order to leave, the team of stormtroopers informed him that Kylo was fashionably late to checkin, which already put Hux in a mood. 8 am. A new record for the knight. When the man did arrive, he appeared to have brought nothing with him.  
     “Please tell me you are not going to wear the same robes for a full week,” Hux said in disgust. He practically sensed the sneer that lived behind the mask.  
     “I do not require material possessions,” the knight remarked, slowly looking at Hux’s modest, black case.  
     Hux pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes up at him. “Well congratulations. I’ll consider myself lucky to not be sharing a tent with you.”  
     Saying nothing to this, Ren brushed past him into the shuttle, purposefully filling Hux’s senses with his scent.  
    _Alpha._  
     Hux shook his head, stomping onto the shuttle after him. The shuttle ride down the the planet’s surface was relatively uneventful. The two rivals took opposite sides of the ship, no one saying a word the whole time down. The temperature only got colder, causing Hux to shiver. He shrugged on his great coat, and hugged his arms to his chest, thankful for his many required layers. Once they landed, Hux began rattling off orders, setting up camp in a small valley at the foothills of a large, snowy mountain.  
     Stepping out onto the surface, sent a chill down Hux’s spine that had very little to do with the temperature. This was the place. He could feel it. The vast snowy plane stretched out before him, looking like a scene out of holiday card. Dark, lush forest floor met with thick and robust trees which shot up into the sky like needles. Rocky mountains jutted up from the earth, tall and proud, and Hux relished the idea of carving into it; leveling the might of the landscape and contriving all he needed for his own purposes. The unforgiving cold simply steeled him in his mission. To build. To mold. To destroy.  
     As if to ruin his delightful mood, Ren stalked up to his side. “So it begins, General.”  
     Hux folded his hands behind his back. “Indeed it does, Lord Ren.” He turned toward him, intending to give him a polite nod. Maybe it was the change of setting, maybe it was the excitement of the project ahead, but Hux actually graced Kylo with a small smile. “Let’s just get through these next couple days without incident, shall we? Truce?” he asked, extending his hand.  
     In what seemed to be a stunned silence, Kylo looked at Hux for a long moment. Just as Hux started to think he was going to leave him hanging, the knight took his hand in a firm grip and shook. The General pretended Kylo was smiling back before letting go and looking over the landscape once more. He felt powerful. It was amazing. Grinning like mad, Hux set off to set up his own quarters, a spring in his step he hadn’t had in a long time. Several stormtroopers actually moved out of the way in both fear and shock.  
     The excitement was as palpable as the planet itself, and Hux was determined to ride it through until the project was complete. He spent the rest of that afternoon setting up camp, assisting and giving the order for inspection before eventually turning in for the night. It felt good to be apart of the life blood of The Order again. As Hux lay back on his cot for the night, he felt a certain sense of ease, despite Kylo Ren’s looming presence. Perhaps he could get through this without incident.

  
—

 

     Well that was a load of shit. Apparently no one had checked the fucking weather when they’d left, so when a sudden snow front moved in from the west, the camp was caught completely unawares. Due to the subzero temperatures, equipment was failing and freezing and communications were down, making scouting missions near impossible. To top it all off, Kylo Ren spent all this time simply lurking rather than doing literally anything. Actually no, the cherry on the top of this shit sundae was Hux waking up in a puddle of his own mess, painfully hard, with the harsh metal of the cot digging into is now sensitive skin, having just started his heat. Needless to say Hux was fucking sour.  
     After having the quickest, most unsatisfying orgasm he’d had since Academy, Hux had strapped on a pad and braced himself for the cold of the outside world. Now he was wrapped in about 7 different layers of clothing, trying his best to keep calm as his troops ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, attempting to find equipment alternatives and repair connections back up to the Finalizer. Hux burrowed himself into is regulation black scarf, simmering quietly for a while. He was soon joined by Kylo, who, much to Hux’s repugnance, seemed completely unaffected by the biting cold of the mountain range. The two stood in silence for a moment, a subtle breeze blowing past them, carrying a wafting scent of Kylo to Hux, who stood downwind. The presence of alpha assaulted Hux’s sensitive nose, causing goosebumps to rise on his flesh, the smell so utterly intoxicating—  
     No, the smell was disgusting. Abhorrent. Hux readily decided he hated the way Kylo smelled and the effect it had on him. It was unprofessional, and mostly just plain wrong. He shoved his freezing hands into his pockets with more force than necessary, his reddened nose blowing out puffs of hot air as he fumed silently.  
     “I’ve always liked the look of untouched snow.” Hux’s neck nearly snapped at the speed at which he turned to look at Kylo, not expecting the breech of quiet. “It makes me want to stomp around in it, you know?” Kylo’s voice sounded strange behind the vocoder.  
     Hux floundered a bit before sniffing at the crisp air. “I wouldn’t know,” he said. “It really only rained on my home planet.”  
     “Where were you born?”  
     “Why don’t you just read my mind?” Hux snapped.  
     Ren seemed to look at him strangely. “Isn’t it just easier to ask?”  
     Hux met his gaze, or tried to, for a moment; searching for any malice in his words. “Arkanis…” he finally answered, his voice soft and wondering. That got a simple hum in response. “Why are you asking me this?” Hux questioned, increasingly suspicious of Kylo’s behavior.  
     Ren appeared to think for a moment before answering, “You called a truce, yes? I’m simply trying to make conversation.” There was a pause. “You seem tense, General.”  
     “Hm, I wonder why that is,” Hux grumbled sarcastically. “This whole mission is a bloody mess.”  
     That earned a contorted chuckle. “It’s only day two, General.”  
     “Yes, and look what day two has yielded: broken equipment and boots full of snow!” Hux shifted in his stance, the water now seeping into his socks.  
     “We have the whole week ahead of us. I’ve sensed your certainty about this planet, as well as your confidence in these troops.”  
     “Yes, well if we cannot adapt to these conditions, we have no hope of construction on a planetary scale.”  
     “Then perhaps it is time for you to start adapting, Hux.”  
     The General looked up at him in surprise, suppressing his gut reaction of irritation. “Yes,” he conceded. “I suppose you're right.”  
     This time it was Kylo to turn in astonishment. “Do my ears deceive me?”  
     Hux looked up at the clouded sky, praying for some sort of patience. “Ren I’d keep my mouth shut if I were you.” 

 

     “No, I’m going to savor this moment…”  
     Hux bit back a smile. “If you’re going to be a prick, at least take the mask off.”  
     The knight’s voice betrayed his thoughts, even through the vocoder. “It’s cold.”  
     Hux barked out a laugh to the surprise of even himself, a smile stretching his face in ways that hadn’t been done in a long time. “How do you think I feel?” he said in between chuckles. In the midst of Hux’s snickering, Kylo reached up to disengage his mask. When the ridiculous grating left his face, the knight shook out his hair, which seemed to have a bit more of a curl to it than usual due to the moisture in the air. This only caused Hux to laugh more as he watched a pink light up Ren’s cheeks that had very little to do with the temperature.  
     “Forget your hair gel today?” Hux prodded with a grin.  
     The blush made its way to the bridge of Kylo’s absurdly prominent nose. “We can’t all have helmet of perfectly gelled hair, General,” he said, though his voice lacked much menace without his mask.  
     Hux huffed indignantly. “Says the man with literal helmet hair.”  
     Kylo chuckled softly, reaching up to run fingers through frazzled curls. Hux resisted the urge to mirror the action, a habit he’d thought was beaten out of him at the Academy. Apparently not. Hux turned to look out over the landscape. The same chilling scene that had filled him with such determination, now filled him with apprehension and anxiety. Perhaps he should quit messing around and—  
     “Has anyone ever told you you have the loudest thoughts?”  
     Hux looked over at Kylo, a mixture of shock and anger on his face. “I’ve told you before, Ren, I don't like you in my head.”  
     “How can I stay out when you’re screaming them out to the world?” he countered. The smug grin on his face only succeeded in making Hux want to slap it off him. Ren’s eyes glimmered. “I dare you to try it, General.”  
     Hux took a challenging step forward. “I wouldn’t test my boundaries, Ren.” The General felt himself grinning albeit not particularly amicably.  
     Kylo stepped towards him, closing the gap between them to a mere foot. His voice was low and smooth, setting Hux’s cheeks alight. “I think I’d like to see those boundaries broken, Hux. See what you’re like behind this restrained exterior.”  
     “I beg your pardon?” No sooner had those words escaped his mouth, a harsh breeze pushed past Hux, blowing strands of hair from Kylo’s eyes. The redhead watched as Ren visibly paled, turning on his heel and stomping away through the campsite with more speed than Hux even thought possible in calf deep snow. He stood where he was, abandoned and bewildered, unsure of what had just transpired. It wasn’t until he felt the warmth against his sanitary pad that he realized he had just inadvertently let Kylo Ren of all people know he was in the midst of his heat.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days saw infinitely more progress but significantly less Ren. That is, with regards to Hux. Having finally gotten their mess in order, the research team was able to dispatch various groups to survey the planet, leaving Hux to map out the terrain and devise strategies for construction. Ren, however, was nowhere to be seen. He had become a fleeting black mirage in the corners of Hux’s vision, gone whenever he turned his head; a ghost— a phantom menace as it were. 

Convoluted similes aside, Hux felt rather guilty about the whole thing. Which unnerved him to no end. It wasn’t his fault Ren had reacted so poorly. It certainly wasn’t his fault he was in heat. So why did Kylo’s utter dismissal and lack of presence bother him so much? Hux thought back to their last encounter. It had been the single most pleasant conversation they’d ever had, albeit a little awkward, and Hux had thought that _maybe,_ in that moment, Kylo might have considered them equals. He at the very least proved he was capable of treating him as such. Did his heat really have to change all that? Hux growled under his breath, (gently) throwing down his data pad in frustration. He couldn't concentrate. Not with a certain someone clouding his thoughts. 

Hux rose from his position at his makeshift desk (a conglomerate of supply crates and extra heating ports), haphazardly shoved on his boots, and exited his quarters into the frigid night air. He marched over to the opposite end of camp, his arms clamped around him for warmth, until he came upon an inconspicuous black tent with a small light inside. 

“Ren?” he called out. There was no immediate answer. The wind violently whipped around Hux, causing him to shiver and rub at his arms for warmth. Just when Hux was ready to barge in uninvited, the masked face of Kylo Ren appeared at the entrance. 

“Yes?” 

“We need to talk.” Hux said through his chattering teeth, pulling his great coat further around him. 

“What about, General?” the knight asked smoothly, making no move to let him inside. 

Hux’s capacity for manners had run thin when the temperature went below 0. “Oh for kriffs sake, Ren, will you just let me in?”

There was a pause where Hux thought he might actually strangle him before Kylo moved to the side, allowing Hux into his quarters. The General hurried in out of the cold, dusting remnants of snow from his coat, and turned toward the other man. He opened his mouth, as if waiting for words to come. When none came, Hux fell back on his only means of defense: Berating. 

“Ren, I’ve come to discuss your conduct towards me as of late.”

There was a pause. “I don't recall there being any.”  
“That’s just my point!” Hux hissed. “You would rather avoid me at all costs rather than do your job on this mission.”

“Oh really, and what exactly is my job on this mission?”

Hux grit his teeth. “To aid me in the surveillance of this planet.”

Kylo threw off his mask in frustration, causing Hux to jump. “That’s bullshit!” Kylo’s voice was fighting off a tremble that came with a barely concealed rage. “We’re both here as punishment and you know it!”

“Be that as it may, we are still obligated to follow orders from the Supreme Leader.” The tightness in Hux’s jaw only seemed to grow as he spoke, knowing even as he said the words that they were only meant to placate. “And the next time you see it fit to yell at me, think again. I’m not some whimpering subordinate you can push around when you’re feeling low.”

Kylo narrowed his eyes. “And what are you Hux? What is this?”

“I believe I’ve already stated—” 

“Yes, and you know nothing of the Force if you think I’m going to believe that. I sense that something is weighing on you. Why are you here, really?”

Hux’s fists clenched at his side. “I know you know I’m in heat.”

Kylo pursed his lips, refusing to meet his eyes for along moment. “What of it?” he asked, finally. 

“You’ve been avoiding me.” The General winced at how pathetic that sounded when he said it out loud. Kylo tsked and Hux fixed him with a glare. “Forgive me if I had assumed we could get past this for the sake of propriety.”

Ren huffed out a humorless laugh. “And does propriety account for pheromones, General?”

“It shouldn’t make a difference!” Hux snapped. “We have a professional relationship. My private matters should not interfere.”

Kylo stared at him evenly for a moment, seemingly biting his tongue. The two stared at each other, one fuming the other hiding his thoughts behind pursed lips and dark bangs. Kylo pushed his hair aside, eyes fixed at the ground. He took a breath. “You’re right…it…shouldn’t matter,” he said softly, Hux noting the strange tone to his voice. He sighed

“Why do you work when you’re…?” Kylo waved his hands in a vague sort of gesture. 

Hux straightened up. “Because it shouldn’t affect my work. And it doesn’t.”

Kylo nodded. “And everyone else?”

“I hold them to high enough standards that they shouldn’t be _distracted_ by something so commonplace,” he sniffed. “I had thought I could hold you to the same—”

“You can.” 

Hux arched an eyebrow in reply. “Oh really?”  
Kylo looked him dead on. “You can,” he repeated. 

“Well…I am glad we could come to this agreement,” said Hux awkwardly. The two nodded to each other, the air thick with stiff coughs and shuffling feet. 

Ren looked up from the puddle of melted snow he was thoroughly examining to meet the light blue of Hux’s eyes. He swallowed. “Join me for a drink?”

Hux stared at him for a long minute, utterly confused and bewildered. “No. Thank you…I think I’d best be going…”

“I think you’ll find that rather difficult,” said Kylo, toeing the ground beneath his feet. 

Hux raised an eyebrow and crossed the space to open the tent door. Outside, the winds had picked up, throwing snow through the air in a blinding array of white. The General stared in horror at the bleached view of his camp site— the snow, which had previously been manageable, had quickly risen to waist level in the short time he’d been in the tent. 

He let out a shuddering breath. “Kriff…”

“Drink?” Came a soft, low rumble behind him, causing him to shiver once more. 

“I guess I don’t have much a choice now, do I?” Hux turned to meet the smirking visage of Kylo, who was already holding a bottle of some crude substance in his hand. He grinned back. 

“No, General. I don’t believe you do.”

—

That stuff was _not_ brandy. It wasn’t even whiskey. No, what Kylo had poured in Hux’s glass tasted like he had brewed it in a hard-to-find First Order regulation bath tub. The amber liquid rolled over his tongue like wildfire and went down just as smooth. However, never one to back down from a challenge, Hux forced himself to swallow, enjoying the heat it brought to his chilled limbs. He eyed Kylo across the small, ramshackle table, who seemed to be enjoying himself with his tall glass of…whatever this stuff was. 

“This is…strong…” Hux said lamely. 

Kylo chuckled. “I made it myself.”

Hux’s lips curved around the rim of his glass. “I wasn’t aware distillery was part of your pastimes.” 

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,” remarked Kylo, cockily. 

“Oh? Such as?” he asked.

The question seemed to take Kylo off guard, blinking slowly at Hux— or perhaps it was the alcohol. _Surely his tolerance isn’t that low…_ Hux thought to himself.  He took another stiff swallow and set down his glass, looking at the knight expectantly. Said man licked his lips in thought for a moment and Hux tried his best not to stare. 

“I bet you don’t know my favorite color.”

“Juvenile.” 

Kylo grinned. “Hardly. Isn’t it the littlest things that make up a person? Knowing a person means knowing all their little quirks and fancies. We’re made up of these things. So are you,” he nodded in his direction. 

“Nonsense,” Hux huffed. “People are defined by the actions they have committed and the beliefs they adhere to, not some extraneous idiosyncrasies— all of which can be read on First Order databases.” Hux stared deeply into his glass, which lay empty on the table. He looked up with a cold grin. “And I get priority access. For instance, I know your birth name was Ben Solo. You were born on Coruscant to mother Leia Organa and father Han Solo of the Rebellion. I know of the betrayal of your former master and the Jedi padawans you slaughtered to gain your place amongst the ranks of the Knights of Ren.” The harsh silence that filled the air made Hux almost regret his words, however it was soon broken by the shattering of Hux’s glass, causing him to flinch. Ren’s face was pinched in anger and barely concealed hurt— the latter of which Hux had not expected to find. Hux felt a pang in his chest, the likes of which he’d thought he had banished from his emotional repertoire. Reaching out, he stopped himself, guiding his hand to the mural of broken glass on the table, and gently sweeping it into a neat pile. 

“I’m sorry…” he said softly. 

“For what?” Kylo spat.

“Your reaction was…regrettable.”

“Try again.”

Hux scoffed. “What I said was uncalled for.”

“…thank you.” Kylo finished off his drink before pouring another glass and handing it to Hux, electing to drink his portion straight from the bottle. Hux sipped lightly at the drink, not wanting to do something more he would regret. 

“Black,” he finally stated. 

Kylo cocked an eyebrow. “What?”

“Your favorite color.” Hux cleared his throat. “I guess black. Gods know you wear enough of it.”

The corners of Kylo’s lips drew up ever so slightly. “You’re wrong. It’s dark gray.”

Hux barked out a laugh. “You’re kidding me.”

“I am not.”

He continued to let loose a few chuckles. “Nobody’s favorite color is gray!”

“Well mine is!” Kylo shot him a feral grin before laughing along with him, a light pink dusting his cheeks. “Alright, what’s yours then?”

“What, you’re not going to guess?” Hux teased, the alcohol loosening the rigid line of his posture. 

Kylo leaned challenging over the table, his eyes glazed over only slightly. His mouth twitched up in satisfaction. “Navy blue.”

Hux rolled his eyes dramatically. “It’s no fun if you cheat. You used your mind powers.”

The knight leaned back, folding his arms over his chest like a scolded child, though his face remained neutral. “If you're not cheating you’re not trying…”

Hux snorted. “Use that one a lot, do you?”

“Perhaps,” he said lowly. “What else should I know about the great General Hux?” Kylo all but purred, leaving the other man’s mouth dry and speechless for a moment. 

Snapping out of it, Hux looking Kylo over slowly. “I don’t give out that information for free, Ren.”

Kylo grinned wolfishly, and in that moment, it wasn’t hard for Hux to see remnants of Han Solo in Ren’s biology, his face the perfect image of a Corellian smuggler. Hux swallowed as Kylo rested his cheek in his hand before taking another long swig from the bottle. “And what might the cost of that information be, Hux?” 

Hux pursed his lips in thought for a moment, daring to meet the other man’s gaze. “I’d settle for another glass of…whatever this is.”

—

With passing Hux the bottle, Kylo marked the beginning of the end. After the next few drinks, Hux’s head began to swim, pleasant and dizzying. He divulged a slew of menial tid bits of information: the name of his cat, his birthday, his hobbies, even the scent of his shampoo— Ren having come up with the most ridiculous of questions to ask him. About a half hour later, Hux was leaning over the table, twirling the neck of the now-empty bottle in his fingers and eyeing Kylo mischievously. 

“You mean you’ve never even tried it?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow. Hux had ditched his coat and gloves, having found them too hot with the alcohol running through his veins.

Kylo gazed back at him in amusement, kicked back on the hind two legs of his chair, his feet up on the table. “Why would I have ever done that?” he chuckled. 

“Because it’s so common place! That would be the first thing I did if I had magic powers!”

Kylo rolled his eyes. “They’re not magic powers. It’s the Force.”

Hux waved him off. “Yes yes. Force magic and all that. Just do it.” 

The knight stood from his chair, steadying himself on both feet before taking a deep breath. He placed both hands at his sides, palms parallel with the floor and his brow furrowed in concentration. Not a moment later, Kylo was hovering a few inches in the air, floating weightlessly as Hux watched in amazement. The omega stood to gaze up at the man that was now a good head taller than him, passing his hand over— but not touching— Kylo as he hovered above the ground. Curious, and more than a bit drunk, Hux gently poked his chest, the action causing Kylo’s eyes to shoot wide open. 

Loosing his concentration, the alpha tumbled to the floor, falling flat on his ass. Upon seeing the desperate and tangled mass of limbs topple downward, Hux lost any and all sense of sobriety he might have been trying to maintain. He doubled over, laughing loudly, his chortling filling the silence of the entire tent. Kylo stared up at him, his mouth agape, but saying nothing.  

As Hux struggled to catch his breath, he reached out a hand to him, grinning wildly. “Need some help?” he asked. 

Ren stared up at him for a moment longer before firmly taking his hand and coming to his feet. Standing so their chests were almost touching, Kylo looked down at Hux, whose face was tinted a light pink curtesy of the alcohol they had consumed. Surely that was it. Hux’s ginger hair was disheveled, hanging loosely in his eyes, making him look years younger. His eyes were slightly glazed over— gods but were they blue or green? Kylo couldn’t tell. And his scent. His suppressants having worn off, Hux’s heat was coming off him in waves, filling Ren’s senses with a warm and saccharine smell that practically made his mouth water. It took all of his will power not to lean in and taste it off his skin. 

Hux stared up at him blankly. Why in hells was Ren standing so close? And what was that stupid look on his face at the moment? He couldn't think straight and standing upright was proving difficult with each passing second. The only thing anchoring him was Kylo’s hand still in his. He looked down at their join hands, noticing Kylo’s thumb gently rubbing his skin back and forth. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. What was happening? And then it hit him. Ren’s alpha scent wafting over him, lighting up every nerve in Hux’s body. He shivered, looking back up to meet Kylo’s eyes. What he was met with were deep redwood irises, Kylo’s face impossibly closer. Hux panicked. 

Pushing Ren back, Hux ran desperately, grappling with the entrance of the tent before the alpha could do anything about it. Once open, Hux braved the biting air of the outside world. Icy wind whipped around him, freezing his joints and chilling his muscles as he attempted to trudge through the waist deep snow, only then realizing he’d left his great coat and gloves in Ren’s tent. It was too late for that now. He grit his teeth to keep them from chattering, hugging his arms around his torso to retain some heat. Hux’s ears, which stung from the cold, heard only the howling of the blizzard around him and nothing of Kylo’s protests from the tent. It wasn’t until he found himself frozen in place by some unseen force that Hux craned his neck to throw Ren a glare more frost-bitten than the tips of his fingers. 

Kylo was standing at the entrance to his tent, his left arm extended out toward Hux. With a yank, the ginger man was sent flying into Kylo’s grasp and ushered back into the tent despite his loud and unheard protests. Once in, Hux’s knocking knees collapsed to the floor in a final act of betrayal. Turning back to face Kylo, he hastily scooted away from him. 

“No…!” 

Kylo approached him slowly. “Hux calm down.”

“I said no!” Hux bellowed, or tried to. His voice came out shaky, as his entire body trembled with an effort to warm him up. 

Kylo put his hands up, kneeling on the floor in front of Hux but making no move to come any closer. “I won’t touch you. You have my word.”

“Why should I trust you? An alpha…”

Ren squared his jaw. “Ten minutes ago we were two men sharing a drink. Why is it that now all of sudden we’re alpha and omega?”

“You know why,” Hux grit out. “What happened earlier—”

“Will never happen again,” Kylo said sternly. “Despite what you seem to think, some alphas can take as hint. It doesn't take a mind reader to recognize rejection.” 

“Is that why you’re keeping me captive here?” Hux snarled. 

“Oh for— no!” Kylo all but growled, the air seeming to buzz with his anger. Or maybe that was the Force. “I’m keeping you here because there is a blizzard outside and you’ll catch your death of cold if I let you try to go out there. Look at you, you're still shivering.” Kylo made a move towards him, only to have Hux back away once more. “Just let me help. Please.”

Hux stopped, looking up at Kylo, eyes wide. Of all the words in the Basic vernacular that was the last one he would have expected Ren to say. Hux let out the breath he was holding, staring at Ren in shock and bewilderment. Still on guard, Hux forced himself to relax, his breath slowly evening out. He maintained eye contact with Ren, cautious of every move he made, but Kylo stood stock still. All that moved were his eyes, hard yet concerned. And eventually Hux relaxed enough to manage a nod, allowing Kylo to come closer. 

Still hesitant, the knight approached slowly. Holding out his hands, he beckoned Hux closer. Although he looked at him suspiciously, Hux moved his trembling hands over Kylo’s, just a hairs breadth away from touching. When heated started emanating from Kylo’s hands, Hux pulled away immediately. 

“What was that?”

“Energy manipulation,” Kylo answered. “To warm you up. You’re still shivering.” When Hux shot him a look, Kylo rolled his eyes. “I didn’t think you wanted or needed a physics lesson.”

Once Hux’s hands were back in his, the heat started back up again, sending waves of warmth through the smaller ginger man. Eventually, his body stopped its trembling, leaving Hux exhausted and pleasantly hot. Laying down on the floor, he stared up at the tented ceiling. Kylo stood up and disappeared from Hux’s view, retrieving a few pillows and blankets from a small supply crate. He threw them on the floor by Hux’s head. Said man only had the energy to look vaguely in their direction, then back up at Kylo. 

“You’re sleeping here for the night,” he said, crossing his arms. “And don't think about sneaking away. I’m a light sleeper.”

Hux nodded in defeat, using the last of his energy to grab a pillow and curl up with it, holding it snugly to his chest. Kylo watched him for a moment longer than necessary before blowing out the lantern and turning to his sleeping cot. He didn't shed any clothes, instead just laying on his back in deep contemplation. The two lay there in heavy stillness, listening to each other’s steady breathing and the howling wind outside. Finally Kylo broke the silence. 

“Can I ask one more question?” he asked the darkness of the tent.

“Yes,” the darkness answered back. 

“What’s your name?”

“Ren, not even my closest friends know that.”

“You have friends?”

“Kriff you.” 

Kylo chuckled lowly, closing his eyes. The two lay there, waiting for sleep, Hux measuring the breaths of his partner, clinging to alertness. When Kylo’s breaths evened out, Hux finally allowed himself to close his eyes as well. 

Speaking to no one who could hear him, he said, “Armitage…”

Little did he know, across the room there were a pair of warm brown eyes wrinkling in amusement, and maybe a little bit of infatuation.


End file.
